Man wanting drugs ends up jailed, facing 12 years in prison

This story has been updated to clarify the circumstances that led to charges being filed against James Randall Crews, 24, of Tiffin.

BUCYRUS - A Crestline man accused of beating up his pregnant ex-girlfriend was one of many people indicted by a Crawford County grand jury in the past month.

"He allegedly struck her because she wouldn’t give him $20 to buy drugs," Crawford County Prosecutor Matt Crall said of Philip M. Tesso Jr., 25, who is charged with first-degree felony aggravated burglary and fourth-degree felony domestic violence.

Crall said Crestline police responded to a call about 2:30 p.m. April 14 — Tesso had "busted down the front door and went in and assaulted the victim," Crall said. The woman was 36 weeks pregnant at the time.

"He had left the residence by the time police were able to get there," Crall said. "He was later picked up on a warrant."

Tesso, who Crall said was convicted of a domestic violence charge in August 2017, is facing 12 years and 6 months in prison if convicted of the crimes.

Tesso remains jailed in the Crawford County Justice Center in lieu of a $500,000 bond.

James Randall Crews, 24, of Tiffin, faces the same amount time in prison on charges of first-degree felony possession of drugs, fourth-degree felony improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle and first-degree misdemeanor obstructing justice.

Crall said Crews crashed a vehicle in Lykens Township on April 3. He is accused of concealing 93.46 grams of cocaine at the scene before officers arrived. Crews posted his $50,000 bond and was released before the Ohio Highway Patrol troopers found the drugs as they were finishing their investigation, Crall said.

Two days later, on April 5, Crews was pulled over in a different vehicle by the Ohio Highway Patrol for a routine traffic stop on Irving Street in Bucyrus, Crall said, when a trooper noticed a loaded 9 mm pistol protruding from under the front passenger's seat.

Crews was arrested again, and is being held in the Crawford County Justice Center in lieu of a $500,000 bond.

Other people indicted:

• Dustin Potter, 29, of Bucyrus, was indicted on a fifth-degree felony possession of drugs charge, and was assigned a $175,000 bond.

• Joshua Kohls, 38, of Galion, was indicted on two counts of fifth-degree felony forgery, one count of fifth-degree felony theft and two counts of first-degree misdemeanor theft. He was assigned a bond of $175,000.

• Richard C. Wiggins, 25, of Galion, was indicted on two counts of fifth-degree felony forgery, one count of fifth-degree felony theft and two counts of first-degree misdemeanor theft. He was assigned a $150,000 bond.

• Nickolas G. Pierce, 23, of Bucyrus, was indicted on a charge of second-degree felony felonious assault and assigned a bond of $150,000.

• John L. Kenny, 28, of Crestline, was indicted on a fourth-degree felony charge of disrupting public service, and was assigned a bond of $150,000.

• Johnny Lee Stephens, 36, of Shelby, was indicted on a charge of fourth-degree felony trafficking in drugs, and assigned a bond of $150,000.

• Natasha D. Stidam, 37, of New Washington, was indicted on two counts of fifth-degree felony possession of drugs and one count of fourth-degree misdemeanor drug paraphernalia. She was assigned a bond of $150,000.

• Christopher E. Vollmer, 38, was indicted on a charge of fifth-degree felony breaking and entering, and was assigned a bond of $150,000.

• Kyle A. Stiltner, 30, of Mansfield, was indicted on charges of third-degree felony failure to comply and fifth-degree felony possession of drugs. He was assigned a bond of $150,000.

• Colin Pneuman, 29, of Bucyrus, was indicted on charges of third-degree felony having a weapon under disability and first-degree misdemeanor domestic violence. He was assigned a bond of $100,000.

• Matthew Kunzer, 34, of Bucyrus, was indicted on two counts of fourth-degree felony assault on a peace officer, and was assigned a bond of $100,000.

• Chase G. Cole, 21, of Bucyrus, was indicted on two counts of fifth-degree felony forgery, one count of fifth-degree felony theft and two counts of first-degree misdemeanor theft. He was assigned a bond of $100,000.

• Gary Fox, 45, of Galion, was indicted on a charge of fifth-degree felony possession of drugs and was assigned a bond of $100,000.

• Shawn Stratton, 36, of Galion, was indicted on a charge of fifth-degree felony possession of drugs and was assigned a bond of $100,000.

• Jennifer L. Smith, 36, of Crestline, was indicted on a charge of third-degree felony domestic violence and assigned a bond of $100,000.

• Jason L. Kragh, 39, of Galion, was indicted on charges of fifth-degree felony possession of drugs, second-degree misdemeanor possessing a drug-abuse instrument and fourth-degree misdemeanor drug paraphernalia. He was assigned a bond of $100,000.

• Matthew M. Maag, 26, of Galion, was indicted on charges of third-degree felony illegal conveyance of prohibited items onto grounds of detention facility or institution and fifth-degree felony possession of drugs. He was assigned a bond of $100,000.

• Robert Fulker, 51, of Galion, was indicted on charges of fifth-degree felony possession of drugs, fifth-degree felony illegal cultivation of marijuana and fourth-degree misdemeanor drug paraphernalia. He was assigned a bond of $75,000.

• James E. Schenk Jr., 26, of Galion, was indicted on a charge of fifth-degree felony possession of drugs, and was assigned a bond of $75,000.